Drain receptacle for bottle cleaning shot



Apnl 28, 1953 G. H. LEEPER DRAIN RECEPTACLE FOR BOTTLE CLEANING snow Filed Oct. 28, 1946 INVENTOR. CzuY H. LEEPER ATTORNEY tii lei spe i Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAIN RECEPTACLE FOR BOTTLE CLEANING SHOT Guy H. Leepcr, Los Angeles, .Calif.

Application October 28, 1946, Serial No. 706,233

Claims.

, My invention relates generally to cleaning apparatus and more particularly to machines and devices for washing bottles and other containers.

An object of my invention is to provide a device for washing bottles and containers of various kinds such as nursing bottles, drip coffee makers, and other small mouth containers, which is structurally characterized by means enabling a quantity of shot or other spherical cleaning objects to be discharged from the device into the bottle to be cleaned, returned to the device after use of the shot, thoroughly washed in the device, and stored in the device against loss, for .the next cleaning operation, all with the utmost ease and convenience, whereby to greatly facilitate the washing of bottles as well as the washing of the shot after use, so as to maintain the shot in a sanitary condition.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bottle cleaning device of the above described character which is inexpensive to manufacture,

.is of compact and durable construction, and

which may be attractively and strongly constructed of plastic or other plentiful, sanitary material.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the combinations, arrange- ,ments and functional relationships of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l isa view showing in top plan, one

form of bottle cleaning device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical, axial sectional view taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figuresfiiand 4 are fragmentary detail sectional ,views taken on the lines 3--3 and 44, re-

spectively, of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invent-ion in its illustrated embodiment comprises 1 end of a funnel shaped cover or retainer element ll Whose lower smaller end has a relatively small A spring metal retainerin 2 the form of a split ring I9 is adapted to be constricted and then eleased to expand into the groove l5 for co-action with the flange It in securing the element ll against displacement, yet permitting easy removal of the element whenever desired.

The outlet port [3 is controlled by a valve 20, which, in the present instance, is in the form of a shutter working in a slot 2| transversely intersecting the port l3 at the junction of the hopper portion [2 and delivery tube It. The valve 20 is at one end and forms an integral part of a thin gage strip or ribbon 22 of flexible metal which is freely slidable in a recess 23 in the inner side of a handle 24 projecting laterally from the receptacle and co-acting with the latter to form a closed loop of sufiicient size to comfortably receive the four fingers of the hand in gripping the handle therewith.

The other end of the strip 22 projects from the recess 23 through a slot 25 in the top portion of the handle 24, and is provided with a slot 26 receiving a lug 21 on an L-shaped actuating member 28 in the form of a bellcrank lever having a thumb piece 29. The actuating member 28 is pivotally mounted in the slot 25 on a pin 36 spanning the slot and supported at its ends in the handle.

objects 35 is poured through the inlet opening it into the hopper portion l2 of the receptacle Iii, and is normally confined in the latter by the valve 20 and by the conical form of the I cover element ll irrespective of the position occupied by the device. The wall of the receptacle ii) is provided with a multiplicity of perforations constituting drain openings 36 which are smaller in diameter than that of the shot 35, and permit water to drain from the receptacle in the operation of the invention which is as follows:

A quantity of clean shot or other spherical objects such as steel balls, is assumed to have been supplied to the receptacle [0, and to be confined by the closed valve 20 in the chamber formed by the hopper portion l2 of the receptacle. A heaping tablespooniul of shot is a sufficient quantity for washing a bottle such as a nursing bottle for example, and it will be noted that by the provision of the funnel cover element H, the shot cannot be inadvertently or carelessly spilled from the receptacle irrespective of its position, as with the receptacle inverted, the shot will roll into the annular space between the cylindrical portion i i and the cover element l'i.

With the receptacle held upright by its handle 24, the delivery tube it may be inserted into the mouth of a bottle to be cleaned. Pressure is exerted by the thumb against the thumb piece 29 to move the actuating member 28 to the po sition shown in broken lines in Figure 2, so as to exert a pull upon the strip 22 and thusdraw the- Valve Bil clear of the port 13 against the. urging action of the spring 3i, to open the valve and permit the shot 35 to gravitate into the bottle, following which the thumb piece as is released to permit the valve to close.

Water and. soap or other cleaning agent are used in the bottle in conjunction with the shot to clean the interior of the bottle by shaking the -latter as the mouth of the bottle is maintained closed by a finger or other means. When the bottle has been cleaned and with the receptacle held over the sink, the shot, dirty water and soap are poured into the cover element ll so as to pass through the inlet opening it into the chamber of the hopper portion 12. The shot is retained in the hopper portion, whereas the liquid will be free to drain therefrom through the perforations 36 into the sink. Ihe receptacle is now held under an open faucet to permit clean and preferably hot water therefrom to discharge into the receptacle until the shot are thoroughly rinsed and all soap and dirty water have drained from the receptacle, thus leavin the shot in a clean state for use in washing another bottle.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that by the provision of my invention a quantity of cleaning objects such as shot or steel balls can be conveniently contained in a dispensing receptacle against-spilling therefrom, yet can be instantly discharged into the mouth of a bottle-to be cleaned, and can be easilypoured back into the receptacle and thoroughly Washed therein so as to be restored to a clean state for the next washing operation. Furthermore, by removingthe ring IS, the cover element I 1' can be readily removed to provide access'to' the interior of the receptacle for the removal of the shot and forany additional cleaning of "the receptacle which may be required to place the receptacle in a sanitary condition,

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of: a receptacle including walls forming ahopper portion, the walls having a plurality of. drain-perforations therein, and a delivery tube extending from the outlet of the hopper portion and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container'to be cleaned; a separate funnel-shaped element providing an inlet into the receptacle; a

valve controlling said outlet and adapted, when closed, to confine a quantity of cleaning objects in the receptacle; a handle projecting laterally from the'receptacle; an actuating member mounted on the handle; an operative connection in thehandle;

between said valve and actuating member for opening-the valve in response to actuation of said member bya finger of thehandwhen gripping said handle; and resilient means for'urgingthe valve closed.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of: a receptacle including walls forming a hopper portion, the walls having a plurality of drain perforations therein, and a delivery tube extending fromthe outlet of the hopper portion and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container to be cleaned; a valve controlling said outlet and adapted, when closed, to confine a quantity of cleaning objects in the receptacle; a funnel-shaped cover element removably supported on said receptacle to project thereinto, and having an inlet through which the cleaning objects can be poured into the receptacle, yet cannotbe spilled therefrom irrespective of the position occupied by the receptacle; and means on the receptacle by which said valve can be actuated to open said outlet for the discharge of the cleaning objects through the delivery tube into a container to be cleaned.

3. In a device of the: class described, the combination of: a receptacle including Wall's forming a hopper, the walls having a plurality of drainperforations therein, and a delivery tube extending from the outlet of the hopper portion and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container to be cleaned; a valve controlling said outlet and adapted, when closed, to confine a quantity of cleaning objects in the receptacle; a funnel-shaped cover element supported on said receptacle to project thereinto, and having an inlet through which the cleaning objects can be poured into the receptacle, yet cannot be spilled therefrom irrespective of the position occupied by the receptacle; a handle projectingl'aterally from the receptacle; an actuating member mounted on the handle; an operative connection on the handle between the valve and actuating member for opening the valve in re sponse to actuation of said member by a finger of the hand gripping said handle; and resilient means for urging the valve closed.

a. In a device of theclass described,- the combination of: an open-topped receptacle including walls-forming a hopper portion, the walls'having a plurality of drain openings therein and a delivery tube extending from the outlet'of the hopper portion for insertion into the mouth of a container to be cleaned; a valve mounted in the receptacle for movement to open and close said outlet; and a cover element closing the open top of the receptacle; said element being depressed into the receptacle clear of the wall thereof and having a relatively small central inlet spaced downwardly from the top of the receptacle asuflicient amount for shot in the hopper portion to be deposited around the cover element belowsaid inletwhen the receptacle is inverted, so; as toconfine the shot against spilling from said hopper portion.

5. In a device of'the class described, the combination of: an open-topped receptacle including wallsforming a-hopper portion',the walls having a plurality of drain openings therein and an outlet for shot; a valve mounted in the receptacle to open and close said outlet: and a removable funnel shaped cover element closing the open top of the receptacle and projecting thereinto with an inlet of relatively small sizeat the inner. end of said element, to prevent spilling ofshot from the hopper "portion irrespective. of theposition tunnel-shaped element extending into the receptacle; a valve closing said outlet; a handle projecting laterally from the receptacle; manually operable actuating means carried by said handle, and accessible for actuation by a finger of the hand gripping said handle; and means operativeone end from the hopper outlet, and, the handle I having a slot at the other end ofythe recess; a

' 7 flexible strip slidably mounted in said recess, one end of said strip extending into said hopper outly connecting said valve to said actuating means to open said valve in response to actuation of the actuating means.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of: walls forming a receptacle having a top inlet, a bottom outlet, and drain openings in said walls; a funnel shaped cover element removably supported on said receptacle to project thereinto, with the innermost and smaller end of the element defining said top inlet; a valve closing said outlet; a handle projecting laterally from the receptacle; an actuating member carried by said handle, and accessible for actuation by a finger of the hand gripping said handle; and means operatively connecting said valve to said member to open said valve in response to actuation of the member.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a receptacle including walls forming a hopper portion, said walls having drain perforations therein, and a delivery tube extending from the outlet of the hopper portion and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container to be cleaned; a handle projecting laterally from the receptacle and forming a loop extending let to provide a valve therefor; a bell-crank actuating lever pivotally mounted in the slot and having a thumb piece; means connecting said strip to said lever for opening of said valve in response to movement of the lever in one direction; and a spring coacting with said lever to urge the latter in the other direction to close the I valve.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of: a receptacie including a hopper portion having drain perforations and a delivery tube extending from the outlet of the hopper portion and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container to be cleaned; a funnel-shaped cover element supported by said receptacle to project thereinto, and having an. axial inlet I through which shot can be poured into the recepof the recess; a flexible strip slidably mounted in from the upper portion of the receptacle to a point adjacent the hopper outlet, the handle having a continuous recess on the side thereof inwardly of said loop and extending at one end from the hopper outlet; a flexible strip slidably mounted in said recess, one end of said strip extending into said hopper outlet to provide a valve therefor; and an actuating member mounted on the handle adjacent the other end of said recess and connected to the other end of said strip whereby said strip may be moved in a direction to open the valve in response to actuation of said member by a finger of the hand gripping said handle.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a receptacle including a hopper portion having a drain perforations, and a delivery tube extending from the outlet of the hopper portion and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container to be cleaned; a handle projecting laterally from the receptacle and forming a loop extending from the upper portion of the receptacle to a point adjacent the hopper outlet, the handle having a continuous recess on the side thereof inwardly of said loop and extending at said recess, one end of said strip extending into said hopper outlet to provide a valve therefor;

a bell crank actuating lever pivotally mounted in the slot and having a thumb piece; means connecting said strip to said lever for opening of said valve in response to movement of the lever in one direction; and a spring coacting with said lever to urge the latter in the other direction to close the valve.

GUY H. LEEPER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

